Life is a great gift from God that was why the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in October 2014, convoked an extra ordinary Synod on the family in Rome to enable the church reflect on the vocation and mission of the family in the contemporary world and to fashion a reply to the very many challenges that the family of today faces.

 In response to this, the Bishop’s Conference of Ghana of the West African continent organized a two-day International conference on Prolife which started on the 7th of August, and ended today the 8th of August.  The conference which took place at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra, centred on the theme: “Protecting life and Family Values in the Continuing Culture of Death”.

  The gathering brought together resource persons, scholars, students, facilitators, discussants, priests, religious, men, women, youth, professionals in different fields from Ghana and beyond.

 In his keynote address, Most Rev. Anthony Adanuty, the Vice president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, says that ‘it has become known that in some hospitals, schools, villages and towns in Ghana, some international pro-choice agencies are currently present and are pursuing a culture of death through the promotion of condom use, the practice of abortion, homosexuality, the sale of ova and semen among citizens, all under the guise of sexual and reproductive health rights.”

  On this ugly development, Miss Obianuju Ekeocha, CEO Culture of Life, Africa, a Nigerian living in London, who is also one of the sponsors of the Prolife programme in Ghana, talked on the topic: Building up a culture of Life by scaling up Prolife activism in Africa. In her presentation, she emphasised the need for Africa to reject this culture of death and embrace the Gospel of life.

 At the end of the assembly, a communiqué was issued by the Catholic Bishops, read by The Bishop in Charge of Health, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum.  The highpoint of the event was a prolife float through the major streets of Accra. It was amazing to see young people, market women, business men, students, priests and religious, doctors and nurses, march through the Principals streets with placards that call for citizens to respect life and put an end to the culture of death.

 Ghana is at the heart of the storm and struggle between the culture of life and culture of death. At the heart of this storm and struggle is the blatant disregard for family values and the dignity and sanctity of life. There is an urgent need for the Church in Ghana, and indeed every person, to rise up and promote the Gospel of life and speak against the emerging culture of death.